Northwest athletic apparel companies Brooks and Oiselle said Friday they would stand by the Track & Field Athletes Association if the TFAA calls for a collective action.

The implicit threat would be an athletes' strike of, say, the USA Outdoor Championships, June 26-29 in Sacramento, and comes as part of tensions between athletes and USA Track & Field that have been escalating for a month.

In a statement, the TFAA asked the sponsors for "official recognition" as the "collective voice of elite and professional athletes" and to support the athletes' "rights to participate in TFAA calls to action."

The statement went on to ask sponsors "not to penalize your athletes for participating in collective action" and to enter a clause stipulating as much "in all future contracts you enter into with track and field athletes."

TFAA asked willing sponsors to verify their support in an email that included the sponsor's logo.

Apparel companies Saucony and CEP Compression also have indicated their support of the TFAA.

There was no immediate response from Nike, which sponsors many of the top U.S. track & field athletes, and underwrites much of USA Track & Field's budget.

"We are all in," Oiselle founder and CEO Sally Bergesen said in a text message. "Already emailed them and sent our logo."

"Brooks
recognizes the power of teamwork on and off the track. We're excited to see the Track & Field Athletes Association
step up to help give all athletes a voice, and support their desire to
work collectively to better the sport. We stand behind our athletes'
participation in the association and look forward to their leadership in
track and field."

Brooks' roster includes two-time Olympian Nick Symmonds and Portland distance runner Ryan Vail, the top U.S. entry in the upcoming London Marathon.

USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer declined comment on the latest developments, as did TFAA president Adam Nelson.

The TFAA asked USA Track & Field in February to be allowed to observe protests and appeals at future USATF championship meets following a pair of controversial disqualifications at the USA Indoor Championships last month in Albuqerque, N.M.

Gabe Grunewald, the apparent winner of the women's 3,000 meters, was disqualified after the meet's jury of appeal reversed an earlier decision. USATF subsequently said the late decision to disqualify Grunewald was because of enhanced video evidence.

Andrew Bumbalough of Portland-based Team Schumacher was disqualified in the men's 3,000 for interfering with Galen Rupp. Video reviews of the race have been unable to locate any example of Bumbalough interfering with anyone, leading many to conclude Bumbalough was mistakenly identified.

Tom Ratcliffe, Bubalough's agent, has asked that Bumbalough's eighth-place finish be reinstated or that USATF cite what Bumbalough did to merit disqualification.

USATF did agree to a March 10 meeting with the TFAA to discuss the concerns. But it then canceled the meeting and thus far has refused to reschedule.

On Wednesday, USATF President Stephanie Hightower issued a statement saying she was appointing a working group to study the issue. She said in the statement that the "process will take place over weeks and months."